Relationships Are Made in the Kitchen: 30 Day Vegetarian/Vegan Meal Prep Challenge! Free Download.

Hey friends!

     My fiance and I decided that we wanted to write a book…on meal prepping! For those of you who follow me on Instagram or Snapchat, you have probably seen our cooking videos.  We meal prep every Sunday afternoon for 5 days worth of food. This is our special time to crack open a good bottle of wine, rock out to some music, and enjoy each other. We now look forward to Sunday’s (I used to dread them),  love to grocery shop, and prepare the food.  I mean, anytime I can make a ‘chore’ more enjoyable…I am alllllllll in. #lifehack

So how does meal prepping build relationships you ask?

Here are our notable effects when we meal prep:

We both feel a sense of relaxation during the day, knowing that we don’t have to worry about meals. The thought of having to run to the grocery store after work, or whip something up upon arriving home is an extra stressor which is completely eliminated by meal prepping.  Coming home to great meals and being properly nourished during the day, results in mental composure. It is much easier to take on life with a full belly! At the end of the day, we are able to focus on each other, rather than a sink full of dirty dishes or an upset stomach from delivery pizza.

Here is a look at what happens when we do not meal prep:

Basically…“if you have no plan, you are planning to fail”…

HANGER. It’s real. It sucks. It wares on relationships. When we don’t meal prep we feel chaotic, and every night seems to be a scramble. Before we began planning meals, we would ravenously get home…barely even greeting one other. Blinded by hunger while bickering at each other, one would angrily order takeout and end the night feeling bloated, annoyed, and not ready to take on the next day.  This was a draining cycle and as our pants got tighter, and wallets and patience ran thin, we realized a change was needed. 

As an avid pinterester, I began to watch meal prepping videos online and even purchased a few books of my own. Starting slow, we began to prep meals together on Sunday afternoons. This quickly became much more than just cooking. It became our special time that we spend together every Sunday, which slingshots us into a great week. In life, there are not many things we can control. However, food is one of them. So, by choosing to control this small aspect of our life, it makes other tasks seem a bit easier.

Soooooo why is it a vegetarian/vegan challenge?

          Although there are numerous reasons to go veg, ours is simple: we feel physically and mentally nourished completely through this way of eating.  We have tried many different diets together. Ketogenic, paleo, vegan, vegetarian, pescetarian, SAD (standard American diet) to name a few. Doing this gave us a real perspective on which type of eating makes us feel best. Most of us shop around before making a big life decision, right? We did the same…except, we ‘shopped’ around for a way of eating! This may sound silly, but we honestly wanted to try all different ‘diets’ before deciding to stick to one.  On a vegetarian/vegan diet, we feel full without the bloat, alert, and mentally clear. One thing we noticed right away, was our ability to wake up in the morning and head to work without that ‘ugh I am so tired’ feeling. We also noticed our moods and outlook on life, in general, improved. We dare you to try it too!

If you are interested in meal prepping, getting your spouse involved in cooking, would like more information, or simply want a few awesome recipes…. please download our eBook for a week of free vegetarian/vegan cooking!  Cheers!

Vegetarian Challenge

If you enjoyed this week of eating, we will be releasing a full month of recipes at the end of December gearing up for a healthy January, be sure to check back!

 

Peloton Cycle: My honest review.

Hi all,

I wanted to do a bit of a fitness-focused post today. By request, I have been asked by a few of y’all to talk about my Peloton bike experience. For those of you who don’t know what Peloton is, that’s OK! In short, it is God’s gift to the world of spinning. Just look at that sleek, sexy, beauty.

With all of the choices for home cycling bikes out there, here is a bit of the back story on why I decided to go with Peloton.

I was an AVID spinner, going to classes everyday, sometimes twice a day! I couldn’t get enough. There was just something about that dark room, high energy, loud music, amazing instructors, and crazy lights which transported me to a raging party …rather than a workout. Those who spin know what I’m sayin’…a few classes and you’re hooked. Similar to an addict, you need it in your life, and will make it happen…however you can.

So… let’s talk financials. Depending on the gym or spin studio, single classes can range from $20-$35 dollars. Unlimited monthly packages can vary between $150-$500, depending on your location. Regardless of where you live…spinning is expensive. My solution? Get a home cycle, if you use it a lot….it’s totally worth it.

Here are my initial pro’s and con’s for home cycling in general:

Pros: I loved the idea of having the freedom to jump on the bike whenever I wanted. It is so easy for me to lose motivation when I have to get dressed (in presentable workout gear), drive to the gym, find parking, put on my spin shoes, find a bike…you get the idea. So, when I could literally hop on a bike in my living room…my excuses were reduced to zero. As a busy adult, I needed the simplicity that home workouts provided. 

I also grew fond of the idea that no one had to see me whilst working out. Exercising in your living room = no pants necessary, and the freedom to shout all of the expletives your little heart desires. Side note: if you aren’t pushed to uncontrollable bouts of cursing (while riding)…you’re doing it wrong.

Cons: I knew I would be unmotivated if I purchased a basic bike, parked it in front of a TV, and tried to ride without instruction. Y’all, I am admittedly lazy. I need someone cheering me on and pushing me. If I was going to transition to a home cycle, I wanted to be sure that I would be getting just as good of a workout, as I would in class.

My other major con was missing out on the community aspect of group fitness. I grew to love my gym, and it became a second home to me. I adored the instructors, had made friends with fellow spinners, and felt so uplifted when I would leave class. My studio did a wonderful job of having events outside of class too. For example, after class on Saturday mornings we would head over to a restaurant for brunch. I fell in love with the spinning community, and felt so welcomed.

I originally joined a gym because I was at a place in my life where I realized I didn’t have many friends (in the area) and needed some girl time. Crazy right? Joining a gym for a reason other than fitness? By doing this, I pushed myself to go completely out of my comfort zone. I made myself strike up conversations with people, make fun plans, and really put myself out there. I was so worried that by leaving, I would lose a bunch of great friends. Friendship takes effort, and I had put a whole lot in. I hoped to retain these friends upon leaving the gym.

So, after weighing the pro’s and con’s…I decided to take the plunge and buy a bike. And after hours of scouring the internet, I found my solution: Peloton.

My biggest reason for choosing Peloton was that they had live classes! LIVE CLASSES, people. So, you get all of the benefits of a studio class…in your own home! Like I said previously, the community aspect of fitness was really important to me. With Peloton, I do not feel like I am not missing out on that at all. The instructors are SO interactive! Even though, there are 100’s to 1000’s of people taking a class at one time, the instructors still make such an effort to give you a shout out. You don’t feel like a number at all. It is an extremely positive environment. Also you can ‘follow’ different riders, similar to any social media experience. This is another way to connect and make friends with riders around the globe!

How to the rides measure up to a studio class?

I would say they are actually better than a real studio class! The rides are challenging and invigorating- with plenty of modifications. Anyone, at any level of fitness can and will find success using Peloton. In addition to live classes, there is a wide range of other types of fitness classes available. There are many pre-recorded classes (if you’re uncomfortable doing a live ride), scenic rides (riding through nature), and strength, toning and yoga/stretching classes. You are completely able to achieve total body fitness using Peloton. This is another reason Peloton is awesome compared to a spin studio! Most spin boutiques are strictly spin. So then you’re doing weight training at another gym, or at home…AKA another expense and pain in the rear. I love that Peloton is my one stop shop for total body fitness!

How does the bike compare to a studio bike?

The craftsmanship of the bike is incredible. It is extremely solid and the hardware is impeccable. My bike was delivered with care and set up right in my home. Also, I had a few questions about my bike and Peloton’s customer service was amazing. I often joke to my friends that my Peloton bike is my most prized possession and my greatest purchase ever….and it is!

My Peloton tips:

• Get some quality wireless headphones for your ride. When I first stared using my bike, I did not use headphones. I notice, when using a good pair of noise cancelling headphones, I cannot hear myself breathing loudly or any other distractions. This seems to allow my brain to focus on the task at hand, rather than my heavy breathing or car alarms or whatever else is taking away from my ride. I am able to forget how hard I am working and truly enjoy the ride. 

  Samsung Level On wireless headphones are my favorite, I have linked them below.

   

• Try all of the the instructors before picking favorites! As a creature of habit, when I first got my bike, I really connected personally with two instructors. I found myself taking their classes only. I have since branched out, and I love all of the different vibes that are given off by different teachers. Variety is the spice of life!
  

• TOTAL Personal preference: while riding, I minimize the leader board, calorie count, mileage, and time on the bike screen. As mentioned, I am easily distracted. When I am done with a 45 min ride, I typically burn around 500 calories and travel 13 miles. So, when I am starting out and see all zero’s across my screen…I feel overwhelmed because I know how much work is ahead of me.  By eliminating these tracking devices (as I am riding), I find that I have a much better ride. Of course, I love looking at them after my ride and am happy to have them! This method just works for me personally. As I become more advanced, I will use all metrics during my ride. At this point, however, I prefer to simply focus on cadence, resistance, and output.
  

• If you’re considering getting a bike, but not sure if its worth it…be honest with yourself and crunch the numbers. So, if you are (realistically) only able to hop on the bike twice a week, it may not make sense to invest in a home cycle. Or, if you do, be aware of how long it will take for you to break even (as if you were taking classes) cash-wise. No one likes to waste money. Just be honest with yourself and make the right choice for you!

• Have plenty of water by your bike, an absorbent hand towel, and a fan. All of these items make my ride…so. much. better.  There is nothing worse than being thirsty, or sopping wet during a workout. I prefer to keep my towel and water in arm’s reach next to the bike, rather than on the bike. I like a gentle fan blowing too. This is once again preference, I just feel that (although I am dripping sweat) a cool breeze during a workout keeps me refreshed. 

So, what now?

For those of you who have thought about investing in a home cycle- do it. You won’t look back and wish you had transitioned sooner. I genuinely feel refreshed spiritually, mentally, and physically after each ride. I can’t thank Peloton and it’s wonderful instructors enough, for the light they bring into my home daily.

Regarding the community aspect, am I still friends with people from my old gym? No, not really..and I am OK with that, because now I have my #pelofam. If I wouldn’t have joined a cycling gym (even though my original motivation wasn’t really fitness related), I never would have realized that I have a true passion for spinning! God works in mysterious ways.

Finally, if you haven’t given cycling a try yet, and have made it through this post…get off your couch…do a bit of googling… and get your booty to a class. You and your (soon to be toned) ass will thank me.

Note: This was NOT a sponsored post*

Also, if you are a rider on Peloton, comment below and let’s connect!

 

I tried it: eyebrow microblading. Everything you need to know.

As promised, I’maaa be open with you guys. That being said, I wanted to share my most recent beauty endeavor: microbladed eyebrows.

I need to note, this is not a paid ad, nor I am trying to sell you anything. I simply needed my readers to know about a service that has made my life  so. much. easier.

First of all, for those of you who may not know what the heck microblading is, you’re not alone. Microblading is a form of semi-permanent tattoo which lasts for about one year. It involves the use of tiny needles (instead of a tattoo gun) that make up a small blade. This helps deposit pigment under the skin, creating natural hair-like strokes.

Woah. Scary sounding, right?! Seriously though, I am an enormous baby and have zero pain tolerance. If I can do it, you can too. And spoiler alert: it wasn’t even that bad.

 Why microbladed brows, you ask? Short answer… I was sick and tired of drawing them on like a cartoon character every morning. When it comes to beauty, my goal is to be as lazy as possible. Being able to roll out of bed in the morning, with my browz’ on fleek, was a huge #win. This girl has reallllllly light eyebrows. I’m talking practically nonexistent compared to the dark hair on my head (thank you hair dye). I was desperate for anything that would make my daily makeup routine easier and faster. And ohhhh did it ever.

I’ll walk you through the entire Microblading process from start to finish. I am hopeful that this post will ease the nerves of someone out there, in the blogosphere, who is on the fence about microblading.

At around 9am on a hot June morning, I arrived at my appointment and was kindly greeted by the staff. After a brief wait, I was escorted into a small spa room with a lovely reclining chair. Think… boujee pedicure recliner… meets dentist chair. It was glorious, they even had a cozy blanket and tea waiting for me! A friendly woman named Leila was my microblading esthetician for the process.

The first part of my appointment started with an analysis of my face, and what brow shape/color would look the most natural on me. I loved how precise and timely she was while doing this. Semi-Permanent makeup ON YOUR FACE  is a semi-terrifying thought. However, my nerves were totally eased after this part and I was confident they would look perfect. Below you will see my barely-there, shapeless brows before anything had been done to them. Yikes.

 

Leila worked intently to create the perfect eyebrow shape for me. She used a combo of marker, and pencils to customize the right look. She even used a protractor looking thing to make sure the angles were correct (OK, okkkkkk, I guess you do use math in real life). The white goop is numbing cream, this stuff was fantastic. After applying the gel, I relaxed for about a half hour while it did it’s thang.

 

Once sufficiently numbed, she took out the tattoo tool (it looked like an exacto knife) and went to work. For those of you who have a tattoo, it did feel a bit like that. It was not painful, just an irritating repetitive scratching sensation. Without the numbing gel it probably would have been uncomfortable. She passed over each brow twice with the tool, and then coated them with a gel pigment. Here is a picture of my brows soaking in the color. She waited about 20 minutes before wiping the dye off. This step just ensures that the skin completely absorbs the color.

 

Here are my brows after wiping off the pigmented gel. The purple marker dots remained on my skin, but washed off after a few days. You can see my eyebrows look super natural and healthy. I was amazed! I had to return about a month later for one last application. We did the entire process over again. It did go much faster the second time because there was no need to re-draw and measure.

 

Drumroll……

 Here are my final results. I couldn’t be happier.

Microblading is something I wish I would have done years ago. My advice? DO IT. You’ll thank me. I will continue to go back every year, until I die, to have them retouched (no lie). I am amazed at how much time I had wasted trying to get that perfect Kardashian-esque brow. Although I haven’t quite reached that level of brow-glory, I’ll take what I can get.

 

 

Thank you for checking this post out! Please don’t hesitate to ask questions, I am always happy to respond.

I had my brows done at the following spa. Mention this post for a discount.

http://allurestudiosalon.com/